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A Wayne State University School of Medicine student has launched a campaign to renew awareness of HIV and AIDS during the 30th anniversary of the diseases' identification.

Phillip Kucab, a second-year medical student, created World AIDS Day Detroit to call greater attention to the disease. Kucab said that HIV and AIDS, now that they are no longer a certain death sentence, seem to have dropped off the radar of many in the United States.

While over the last decade the media has shined the spotlight on AIDS in Africa, Kucab said, the fact that those with the condition can now live extended lives through drug therapy appears to have diminished the attention paid to AIDS in the United States. To remedy that lack of awareness, Kucab has formed World AIDS Day Detroit, which is set for Dec. 1 and coincides with the 30th anniversary of the identification of AIDS.

Many of the events scheduled for the day will feature Jeanne White-Ginder, the mother of Ryan White, who became a symbol of HIV/AIDS victims and helped break down the social stigmas related to the disease. Ryan, a hemophiliac who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion, was diagnosed in 1984. He put a different face to the disease, which at that time was largely regarded and dismissed as a disease affecting only gay men. His efforts to be accepted by his community and society at large led to friendships with celebrities such as Elton John and Michael Jackson. Ryan died at age 18 in 1990. His mother has continued his legacy of education and compassion for those afflicted with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones.

Kucab, a native of Sterling Heights, also is a hemophiliac. "I have lost a lot of people I know to contaminated blood transfusions," he said. Among those was his cousin, Michael Verb, a hemophiliac who contracted HIV and Hepatitis C from a blood transfusion. Verb died in 1993 at age 17, Kucab said.

While Kucab launched the project, the effort has attracted the support of many School of Medicine students, as well as community agencies and leaders, including AIDS activist Max Fisher, son of AIDS activist Mary Fisher and grandson of Detroit philanthropist and businessman Max M. Fisher. Organizations supporting the project include the Wayne State University School of Medicine and Medical Library, the Michigan Department of Community Health, Affirmations, AIDS Partnership Michigan, the Michigan AIDS Coalition, Community Health Awareness Group, the STITCHES Doll Project and the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan. Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour and WSU School of Medicine Dean Valerie M. Parisi serve on the World AIDS Day Detroit Honorary Host Committee.

The agenda includes a breakfast for mayors of Southeast Michigan sponsored by the School of Medicine and featuring Gilmour, Parisi and White-Ginder. Other events include the Michigan Department of Community Health World AIDS Day Meeting, which includes education sessions and workshops for Detroit area schools and community members; a screening of "Bad Blood," a film that chronicles how HIV entered the blood supply, with the producer, director and cast members at the Fillmore Theater; and a program in the evening featuring a keynote address by White-Ginder.

The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) will gather friends and supporters at the MGM Grand Detroit—Grand Ballroom on December 3, 2011 for the 7th Annual Kidney Ball.

The event, which features the theme “Motown Magic” every year, will include a night of live music, great food, cocktails, and an after party, all making it the most fun charity event in metro Detroit. Last year’s Kidney Ball raised over $500,000 for the NKFM’s many programs and services that help more than 900,000 Michigan residents living with chronic kidney disease.

The spectacular evening, which attracts more than 700 of metro Detroit’s givers and shakers, will begin with cocktails at 6 p.m. and a fabulous dinner served at 7:30 p.m. There will also be an exciting live auction along with an expansive and unique silent auction. Guests can also enjoy dancing and listening to the soulful sounds of the Jerry Ross Band after dinner.

Jim Vella, President of the Ford Fund, and Vivian Pickard, President of the GM Foundation, will serve as the Honorary Chairs of the 2011 Kidney Ball. Blanche Mack and Myra Moreland will be this year’s Event Chairs. The evening wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of the Kidney Ball Presenting Sponsor, Meijer, as well as the many other sponsors and supporters of the event.

“With so many challenges in our state things are not likely to get easier for people with kidney disease. Supporting the 2011 Kidney Ball can continue to help make their lives better,” said Dan Carney, President and CEO of the NKFM. “We invite everyone to take a step back into the Motown era and support an organization whose mission truly is to make a difference.”

Tickets for the event are $250 per guest and can be purchased by calling the NKFM at 800-482-1455. More information about the event is available at www.kidneyball.org or you can get regular updates from the NKFM (including Kidney Ball updates) at www.facebook.com/KidneyMI.

The NKFM, voted “Best Managed Nonprofit” of 2003 by Crain’s Detroit Business, and rated a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 1955. Since its inception, the NKFM has led the fight against kidney disease and has increased awareness of the critical need for organ and tissue donations. The mission of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan is to prevent kidney disease and improve the quality of life for those living with it. The NKFM is widely known for providing more programs and services to more people than any other region or state.

A VIP reception will take place from 5–6 p.m. at INT ICE on the lower level of the MGM Grand. This is a great opportunity to take pictures of and speak with some of the key people involved in the Kidney Ball.

A new item is now available at local favorite Buddy’s Pizza – and while it’s not edible, it will help provide food for metro Detroiters in need.

Now through Dec. 24, customers at Buddy’s Pizza will have the opportunity to donate $1 to The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit and receive a paper Red Kettle that can be signed and displayed in the store.

Paper Red Kettles can be purchased across metro Detroit at all nine Buddy’s Pizza locations (see below for complete list). Funds raised through the sale of paper kettles will help maintain vital human services such as food and shelter for local children and adults throughout the year.

“With Michigan’s poverty rate now at 16.8 percent, we are grateful partners like Buddy’s have joined together to support The Salvation Army in doing the most good during this time of need,” said Major Mark Anderson, general secretary and metro Detroit area commander. “Each and every dollar makes a real difference in the lives of those in need.”

It is under a week to go! The Detroit Titans will honor their former head coach and athletic director—Dick Vitale-- Dec. 5 when they name the newly-constructed floor “Dick Vitale Court” at Calihan Hall in a special pre-game ceremony. Be sure to be part of history as one of the most recognizable faces, and voices in college basketball, returns to the Motor City for an ESPN2 game against St. John's University.

Vitale will be greeted at a special VIP luncheon at the Detroit Golf Club at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. He will then be ushered to Calihan Hall for the official court dedication ceremony, beginning at 6:15 p.m. Tip time for the game against the Red Storm is 7:05 p.m. John Saunders and Fran Fraschilla have the call of the historic night to the nationally-televised audience.

Tickets are going fast for this event. Contact the Titan ticket office at 313-993-1700 for ticket information or to reserve your spot at the VIP luncheon. You can also purchase tickets online at www.detroittitans.com/tix or through any TicketMaster outlet.

The first 1,000 fans (floor seating) will receive a commemorative Dick Vitale Court Dedication T-shirt. The National Anthem will be performed by Detroit Music Hall of Famer Thornetta Davis.

A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the “V Foundation”, in support of Dick Vitale's long-time friend and colleague, Jim Valvano, who lost his battle with cancer in 1993. The V Foundation has awarded more than $90 million to more than 100 facilities nationwide and proudly awards 100% of direct donations and net event proceeds to cancer research.

Apostle partners Denis Leary and Jim Serpico have come aboard as executive producers of Burn, a feature documentary about the city of Detroit seen through the eyes of its firefighters.

The pair behind the FX firefighter drama Rescue Me have launched a campaign on the crowd-funding site Kickstarter to seek finishing financing for the docu, which centers on the struggle of the men and women charged with the task of saving a city many have written off.

Burn will be co-directed by Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez and is targeting the 2012 festival season.

“This film will help raise the public’s awareness to the work firefighters around the country do, as well as the sacrifices they make, particularly in these times of severe budget cuts,” Leary said.

The filmmakers are offering products and experiences to entice Kickstarter donors, including a Boardwalk Empire set visit and an autographed helmet signed by the Rescue Me cast. So far, Burn has been funded via grants and donations from the likes of GM and Apple. A portion of the film’s proceeds will go to The Leary Firefighters Foundation to purchase equipment for the Detroit Fire Department.

Achatz Catering and Soup is partnering with The Detroit Lions to Do the Most Good in metro Detroit by helping to collect clean, new and gently used coats in support of the 21st annual Lions Coat Drive, benefiting The Salvation Army, on Thanksgiving Day.

From now through November 24, collection bins will be at Achatz Catering and Soup, in Casco, MI, as well as eight Achatz Handmade Pie Co. retail locations in Armada, Chesterfield Township, Shelby Township, Oxford, Sterling Heights, Beverly Hills, Ann Arbor and Troy. Bins can also be found at Achatz Burgers in St. Clair Shores, and Achatz Riverview Restaurant in St. Clair, MI. For a listing of addresses, please visit www.achatzpies.com, www.achatzsoup.com, or Achatz Burgers at 24605 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores, MI 48080.

For each coat donated at an Achatz Handmade Pie Co. location, participants will receive a free slice of pie; for donations made at Achatz Catering and Soup, participants will receive a free pint of soup. All donations to Achatz Burgers will receive a Free Mini Burger, and all coats donated to Achatz Riverview Restaurant will receive a free homemade cookie.

“Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how much we all have and appreciate the gifts we have been given,” said Steve Achatz, owner of Achatz Catering and Soup. “We are participating in the Lions Coat Drive this year in this spirit of giving and encourage everyone to join with us to help keep our neighbors warm.”

All coats collected will be delivered by Achatz representatives to the Detroit Lions’ 72nd Thanksgiving Day game in a 32-foot Lions Fan Bus.

This year’s Lions Coat Drive is sponsored by Pepsi in association with The Salvation Army, WXYZ-Channel 7 and 97.1 The Ticket.

Deck the halls, the hearth, and the home with Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery this holiday season. The annual Earthy Treasures holiday show, which is open now through Dec. 30, will showcase the Snowflake Collectible Ornaments series and work from over 100 ceramic artists.

Pewabic also offers other great holiday items such as their hand painted star tiles, pinecone vases, 12 Days of Christmas ornaments and much more.

“This is a perfect exhibit to find one-of-a-kind gifts for loved ones.” said Terese Ireland, executive director of Pewabic Pottery. “We especially have some great gifts for Detroit supporters, near and far.”

Pewabic will also host a Holiday Shopping Evening on Dec. 14. Guests will enjoy an evening of shopping, refreshments, gift giveaways, new additions to Pewabic’s giftware collection and works by more than 80 ceramic artists. Additional specials for Pewabic Society members will be available.

Metro Detroiters can also pick up Pewabic gifts at the Christmas Wonderfest in Campus Martius Park from Nov. 18-27 and at downtown Rochester’s Kris Kringle Market on Dec. 2-3. A limited selection of Pewabic gifts will be available at both events.

Pewabic Pottery is a non-profit arts and cultural organization and National Historic Landmark which is dedicated to engaging people of all ages in learning experiences with contemporary ceramic art and artists while preserving its historic legacy.

Pewabic is a historic working pottery which is open to the public year round and offers classes, workshops and tours to children and adults. Pewabic creates giftware, pottery and architectural tile, showcases more than 80 ceramic artists in its galleries, and operates a museum store that features pottery and gift tile made on-site.

Visitors are welcome, free of charge, Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. To learn more about Pewabic Pottery call (313) 626-2000 or visit www.pewabic.org.

Pewabic Pottery is located at 10125 E. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit across the street from Waterworks Park.

Join Us for our 8th annual pre-Holiday shopping event taking place Saturday, November 26th! in Detroit. Shop Detroit is an event that encourages shoppers to purchase products, services and gifts at Detroit retail locations.

Detroit Synergy member-volunteers created Shop Detroit eight years ago specifically to promote the often-overlooked retail attractions available to shoppers in Downtown Detroit and surrounding neighborhoods. This event is designed to appeal to shoppers from all over the Metro Detroit area. The project also strives to educate the growing numbers of downtown retailers in how important it is to have a coherent merchant community.

This year, Detroit Synergy is partnering with Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is a national movement to drive consumers to shop at local merchants during the heaviest shopping weekend of the year. American Express, the founding sponsor of Small Business Saturday, created the movement in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: more demand for their products and services. Small Business Saturday started in 2010 in response to small business owners most pressing need: more demand for their products and services. There will be giveaways and a lot of fun in the city! Support local and shop small!

Small Business Saturday
You can pre-register to let us know you are joining us here, Shop Detroit pre-registration. Day of registration will take place at the Inside Detroit Welcome Center from 9:30am - 4pm. Shoppers will receive a full list of retailers, specials and other products that will make this shopping experience a happy one.

Volunteer NeededDSG is gearing up for the 2011 Shop Detroit. Shop Detroit gives you the experience of shopping in the city while at the same time supporting city merchants. If you are interested in volunteering in the development of the 2011 Shop Detroit, please email community@detroitsynergy.org OR dsgsteering@detroitsynergy.org.

The fans have spoken and Detroit has been voted the Best Sports City of all time in Sporting News’ fan bracket, with a monstrous victory over Chicago.

Fifth-seeded Detroit did not have an easy path, but it did knock off fourth-seeded Montreal in the quarterfinals in a battle of hockey towns.Tigers ace Justin Verlander won the Cy Young Award this week and Detroit has been voted the Best Sports City of all-time in the Sporting News' fan bracket.

Then the Motor City pulled the big surprise, upsetting Sporting News’ Best Sports City and the No. 1 seed, New York, before dusting off the Windy City in the final.

The Red Wings are the team Detroit is best known for nowadays, but the city that brought us the Motown sound has much more than just hockey.

The Pistons were a force in the NBA's Eastern Conference in the 1990s and won a title in 2004.

The Tigers made the World Series in 2006 and lost in the American League Championship Series this year. Detroit is also the home to one of the most dominant pitchers in the game today in Justin Verlander, who won the American League Cy Young this week and could possibly win the AL MVP award next week.

The Lions look like an up-and-coming NFL team with the Matthew Stafford-Calvin Johnson duo.

And of course, the Red Wings are perennial contenders.

SN's final Great Sports Debate will be held in December: the all-125th anniversary teams by sport.

Long regarded as a synonym for urban decay, the battered city of Detroit has begun to flex its economic muscles again. But the process of regeneration is only just beginning, reports David Usborne

Anyone who thinks Detroit will never again be anything but a synonym for urban decay need only read the minutes of a recent City Council meeting, where members authorised the repair of 5,000 street lights at a cost of $750,000 (£475,000). There are thousands more such lights in need of repair, yes. But something is underway. The headline practically writes itself: the lights are coming back on in Motor City.

It is crime, often conducted under cover of darkness, that more than anything else has hollowed out Detroit, home of the Model-T and Motown. Between 2000 and 2010 its population fell 25 per cent, according to census numbers. Entire blocks became derelict and strewn with weeds. Add corruption, joblessness and poverty and it seemed there were no depths Detroit could not plumb.

Detroiters are leery of come-back boosterism. Ten years after the 1967 riots that more than any other event set this city on the path to purgatory, they said the building of the shiny Renaissance Centre by the Ford Company on the river front would provide a boost. Hopes rose again when the Super Bowl came here in 2006, but then the Big Three car companies hit a wall only to be saved by a controversial bailout from Washington and new rounds of plant closures and lay-offs.

There are still plenty of frightening statistics. Of the 702,000 now living here – from 2 million in 1950 – a third exist below the poverty line and unemployment runs above 14 per cent. But there are better numbers too, in the economy, changing demographics, even in sports. The car makers are profitable again and in baseball, football and ice hockey, Detroit has had a thrilling few weeks of winning – a big deal because all the major teams play downtown. All of this leads to a spurt in something much harder to measure: spirit.

"Are you kidding? We are in a huge upwards surge and it's because the people really want to support the city exactly because it has been through such hard times," insists Renee Adams Schulte, 57, who recently had dinner with her friend at Roast, a high-end eatery with décor and prices that would not be out of place in Manhattan. A native of the mostly upscale suburb of Grosse Pointe, she has long made a point of coming into Detroit's downtown to support it.

"When I was a kid I used to get on the bus with my friends to go shopping in Detroit," Ms Adams Schulte, who runs a women's rowing club, recalls. "Would I have put my (now grown-up) kids on the bus to downtown? I don't think so! But now new businesses are coming back. There are all the galleries and the stores and the restaurants and it's great."

Some of the new pride was captured in a Chrysler commercial in this year's Super Bowl broadcast. Featuring local rap king Eminem, it was a celebration of the city's grit. "What does a town that has been to Hell and back know about the finer things in life?" the narrator asks. "Well, I will tell ya... it's the hottest fires that make the hardest steel." The tagline read: "Imported from Detroit." A huge banner draped down the side of a downtown building today declares: "Outsource to Detroit". It's a not too subtle message that Detroit won't take it from Japan and Korea any more.

This issue of Boat Magazine found us in Detroit, Michigan. The auto industry collapse and the housing crisis hit Detroit hard. In the last decade 25% of its population has left leaving about 60,000 houses standing empty. These houses are hotbeds for crime, vandalism, and arson, all of which cause the surrounding property values to plummet and the local schools to decline and eventually close which in turn causes more residents to leave the city. It’s a horrible cycle, one that has attracted the media in droves.The thing is, they’re only telling part of the story.

Click HERE to read more!
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Detroit's Justin Verlander has become the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to win a Most Valuable Player award, adding it to his Cy Young Award last week.

Verlander earned the American League MVP honor Monday, receiving 13 of 28 first-place votes and 280 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Boston center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was second with 242 points, followed by Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista with 231 points.

"It was such a relief to get that phone call," Verlander said in an ESPN "SportsCenter" interview minutes after the announcement. "Obviously, I want to say it's a dream come true, but winning the Cy Young was a dream come true."

Verlander went 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts to take the AL pitching triple crown. He is the first pitcher to win MVP since Oakland's Dennis Eckerlsley in 1992 and the first starter since Boston's Roger Clemens in 1986.

"(The MVP) means so much, I couldn't have even dreamt of it," he told ESPN.

The tree will be placed in Detroit’s award-winning and internationally-acclaimed Campus Martius Park, at the majestic Woodward Fountain and adjacent to the popular Ice Rink. Continuing what the Detroit Free Press has called a “Great New Detroit Family Tradition,” the tree will be lit in a spectacular ceremony on Nov. 18.

November 18 | 4pm
Grand Opening

Come in and enjoy Detroit's Christmas Wonderfest with over 50 stores a carousel and a ferris wheel.

November 24th | 9 am
America's Thanksgiving Day Parade

For more information about America's Thanksgiving Day Parade go to TheParade.org

Christmas Fest Hours

Friday, November 18- 4pm until 10pm

Saturday, November 19- 10am until 10pm

Sunday, November 20- Noon until 8pm

Monday, November 21 - Noon until 8pm

Tuesday, November 22- Noon until 8pm

Wednesday, November 23- Noon until 8pm

Thursday, November 24- 9am until 1pm

Friday, November 25- 10am until 10pm

Saturday, November 26- 10am until 10pm

Sunday, November 27- Noon until 8pm.

November 18, 2011 |
Santa's Hours

Santa will be visiting with kids and families inside the Compuware lobby, directly north of Campus Martius Park.

Friday, November 18- 5pm until 9pm

Saturday, November 19- Noon until 8 pm

Sunday, November 20- Noon until 6 pm

Monday, November 21- 4pm until 8 pm

Tuesday, November 22- 4pm until 8 pm

Wednesday, November 23- 4pm until 8 pm

Thursday, November 24- Noon until 3pm

Friday, November 25- Noon until 8pm

Saturday, November 26- Noon until 8pm

Sunday, November 27- Noon until 6pm

November 18 |
Ride Hours

RIDE HOURS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON WEATHER CONDITIONS

Friday, November 18- 4pm until 11pm

Saturday, November 19- 11am until 11pm

Sunday, November 20- Noon until 8pm

Monday, November 21- Noon until 8pm

Tuesday, November 22- Noon until 8pm

Wednesday, November 23- Noon until 8pm

Thursday, November 24- 9am until ????

Friday, November 25- 11am until 11pm

Saturday, November 26- 11am until 11pm

Sunday, November 27- Noon until 8pm.
more

November 18, 2011 |
Hofbrau Haus Hours

November 18, Friday: 4pm – 12am

November 19, Saturday: 10am – 12am

November 20, Sunday: 12pm – 12am

November 21, Monday: 12pm – 12am

November 22, Tuesday: 12pm – 12am

November 23, Wednesday: 12pm -12am

November 24, Thursday: 9am – 1 pm

November 25, Friday: 12pm -12am

November 26, Saturday: 10am – 12am

November 27, Sunday: 12pm – 8pm

Holiday MusicNovember 18-27 | Schedule TBD
Enjoy holiday music live on the Campus Martius Stage throughout the holiday season.

November 17 until March 6 | Varies

Ice skating begins on November 17th and continues through the winter season. Check campusmartiuspark.org for times

You may know this already, but the one thing I've learned since I moved here is that many, if not most, of the people who identify themselves as being from "Detroit" have really no idea what Detroit is like. That's because they really live in, say, Novi, Warren, even neighboring Redford, and haven't explored downtown in years. Holding onto mythologies perpetuated by a hysterical press over the past quarter century, they cling to the belief that there are no grocery stores in the city (we actually have 115) and still ask me where I get my dry cleaning done (for the last time, I get my dry cleaning done at the dry cleaners.) They've been to the Fox, to Comerica Park, and maybe waited in line at Slows, but they haven't been to MOCAD, Astro Coffee, D'Mongo's, Good Girls Go to Paris, Le Petit Zinc, Supino's Pizza or any of the other places that have popped up over the past half-decade.

People will say, "Oh it's not like it was," they'll say they can't bear what happened to Detroit, but they're simply blind to the possibilities of the present. Nostalgia for an old bygone Detroit is fine, but it's not relevant to what is happening on Michigan Avenue, on Woodward Avenue, and in Eastern Market right now. It's great that you still know the Faygo song, but do you know about the College of Creative Studies' massively incredible new Taubman Center? Who do you want to be? That guy hanging out at Starbucks sporting a Mark Fidrych t-shirt who has no idea where Cliff Bell's, Honest John's or the Russell Street Deli are (that last one's on Russell Street, by the way) or do you want to be really, actually, honestly, 100% from Detroit?

The lack of knowledge comes from a very specific history. The last two or three generations got out of Detroit during the enormous boom years, leaving the city limits for the American dream of a suburban house with two cars in the garage. In their wake, they saw Detroit go through an enormous upheaval of poverty, extreme racial division, and abandonment. The problems seemed too huge and too intractable so, out of frustration, they simply stopped looking. When they turned their back on the city, their children and their grandchildren did the same.

Bob Hrtanek, mentor. mentee Josh Reece, 17, of De La Salle High School

Recently, the spirit of Detroit has been uplifted with dedicated, vibrant people who work hard on creating a positive change in the city. Young professionals, community builders, entrepreneurs, and artists alike are taking over Motown with their creativity and ambition. One organization, Student Mentor Partners, is searching for these great individuals to be a part of constructing and invigorating the future of the city: by mentoring Detroit’s youth.

They are looking for citizens that are passionate about Detroit, its youth, mentoring and/or education. Their ideal mentor is college educated, in the workforce or retired, and living in the Detroit area. Mentors commit to providing encouragement and guidance to a student for 4 hours a month through their 4 years of high school. Mentors attend free special events throughout the year with their student, such as Red Wings games, Detroit boat tours, Broadway shows, and more!

For some mentors, like Bob Hrtanek, it is more than the games and shows, but being able to enlighten his student mentee to opportunities. He says, “New experiences, as well as our many one-on-one conversations, have helped him appreciate the need for a good education. I'm just happy I've been able to help give a young person a little bit of a better chance for success and happiness in life.”

At Student Mentor Partners, they serve Detroit area youth who struggle academically, and whose families struggle financially. They provide students with quality adult mentors, throughout their entire high school career. These mentors are a source of affirmative guidance for the youth. In addition, Student Mentor Partners provides tuition assistance for their students to attend private, college prep high schools. They also offer supplemental academic and life skills workshops. Students, who complete the intensive program, graduate high school. 99% of Student Mentor Partners’ graduates have also gone onto college!

This year they will enroll their largest class of new students into the program, so they are in great need of mentors to encourage them. With your help, these students will become strong young men and women. They will be critical in shaping Detroit’s future. Please consider helping to create the next breed of movers and shakers in Detroit. Even passing this mentor recruitment request onto others would be of great help.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is looking for a consultant or consultant team to complete a high-speed rail plan from Detroit to Chicago.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) is aimed for the services of a qualified and experienced transportation (planning, environmental and engineering services) consultant or team to complete a Service Development Plan and a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Tier-1 Environmental Impact Statement for the corridor.

The FRA issued a Notice of Funding Availability on April 1, 2010, for the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program in the Federal Register. In response, MDOT submitted an application, which was selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to receive funding to develop a Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan.

The 304-mile corridor between Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac is part of the Chicago Hub Network and is a federally designated High-Speed Rail Corridor. The existing corridor is also one of several major branches in the hub-and-spoke passenger rail system centered in Chicago, part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.

In Chicago, construction started last month on the Englewood Flyover, a $133 million project to eliminate one of the Midwest's worst rail bottlenecks and reduce delays for passenger service. The project, made possible by $126 million in federal funding and $6.6 million in matching state funds, also will make preparations for additional tracks for expanded 110 mph service from Chicago to Detroit, Cleveland and the East Coast.

The deadline for individual firms or teams to submit responses to the RFP is Dec. 12, 2011.

More information about this project is available on the MDOT Web site on the Requests for Proposals page under Transportation Planning.

Many Americans — even many Michiganders — see Detroit as a place to be feared: impoverished, decimated and down-and-out depressing. Sure enough, my drive into the city center took me past what a friend calls "desolation porn": eerie shells of onetime factories, warehouses, shops and office buildings, and block after block of overgrown lots that used to be comfortable working-class neighborhoods. During my visit, the local newspaper reported coyote sightings in the city.

Yet Detroit is evolving, not unlike late 1990s downtown Los Angeles. Cheap rents and an urban pioneering spirit are attracting young artists, and new restaurants, nightspots and even urban farms are serving this growing community and its hipster fans. It's still the early days, but change is palpable, even to the casual visitor.

"I tell my colleagues, 'Have your portfolio ready! There's a big spotlight on Detroit!' " said Gilda Snowden, an ebullient painter and professor of fine arts at the city's College for Creative Studies (one of the region's arts incubators, along with Wayne State University and the suburban Cranbrook Academy of Art). She pays $800 a month for a 2,500-square-foot studio with a kitchen and Jacuzzi.

There's plenty of inspiration in the designated Cultural Corridor, in the Midtown neighborhood just north of downtown Detroit. I stayed at the Inn on Ferry Street, a bed-and-breakfast in a cluster of Victorian homes off Woodward Avenue. It's just a couple of blocks to the Detroit Institute of Arts, by my reckoning America's most overlooked major museum: 658,000 square feet (more than 11/2 football fields) founded in 1885 and reopened in 2010 after a five-year renovation. I could have spent an hour ogling Mexican painterDiego Rivera's "Detroit Industry" frescoes (1932-33), but I was glad I made time for the collections of contemporary and African American art, and masterworks such as Pieter Brueghel's "The Wedding Dance" (circa 1566).

Within a few blocks' walk, the College for Creative Studies' student galleries exhibit skillful works of illustration, product and transportation design, photography and more. The campus sculpture park boasts pieces by Richard Serra,Alexander Calder and other 20th century luminaries. The nearby Scarab Club was founded in 1907, dedicated to artistic pursuits. Rivera, Marcel Duchamp and Norman Rockwellvisited its Renaissance Revival building (1928); on my visit, the exhibition "Family Ties" featured intergenerational works by Detroit artist families.

The problem for these artists, said Simone DeSouza, is that "Michigan artists don't sell to Michiganders." Local collectors might visit New York or Los Angeles to buy work made in Detroit. Aiming to change that, DeSouza opened Re:View Contemporary Gallery in 2008 in a loft-style building that could be at home on either coast.

Two years ago, four friends opened an independent art-house cinema in the Cass Corridor called the Burton Theatre on a shoestring budget and a hunch.

The Burton was the only art-house/indie/cult/weird offering the city of Detroit had seen in decades beside the venerable Detroit Film Theatre at the DIA. The effort was met with tremendous community support and a loyal patronage. Despite the group’s success, and perhaps because of a bit of naivety, the Burton was forced to suddenly close its doors due an irreconcilable dispute between landlord and tenant.

Despite this setback, the desire has remained to have the unique voice the Burton provided in metro Detroit’s cinematic landscape. After a summer of programming “in exile” at a variety of spaces from warehouses to art galleries to street corners, the folks from the Burton have found a tremendous partnership with New York developers Scott Griffin and Angel Gambino to reincarnate the Burton Theatre as the Corktown Cinema, in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood.The Corktown Cinema will be the cornerstone of Griffin and Gambino’s larger development of 2051 Rosa Parks Boulevard (just off Michigan Avenue), a 100,000 square foot former brass foundry that is quickly becoming the place of choice for Detroit's most innovative businesses and shops, as well as the Detroit bureaus of the Huffington Post and Curbed.

It is certainly true that the Burton could not have existed at all if it weren’t for our patrons’ tremendous support and faith in our mission. In the genesis of this, our reincarnation, the need for support from the Detroit community is greater than ever. In that spirit, the Corktown Cinema will be launching an online crowd-funding campaign November Ninth with Detroit Big F Deal (detroitbigfdeal.com) to help support the cost of transforming a raw industrial space into a classy cinema. Corktown Cinema is excited to be able to offer contributors a token of our thanks in the form of memberships to the theatre,exclusive merchandise, discounts to local independent businesses and invitations to private events. It remains our honest belief that Detroit deserves the variety of interesting and entertaining work we strive to show, and we can’t wait to be back!

World AIDS Day is held on December 1st each year, raising awareness for the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS and remembering those who have lost their lives to the virus. Since 1981 60 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and 25 million have died. In the past 30 years we’ve come a long way. We have treatments that keep people alive far longer that many thought possible. In spite of the progress that has spared so many lives, we still have a long way to go.

On December 1st the World will stand together, with one voice, to commemorate World AIDS Day. The theme this year until 2015 is “Getting to Zero.”

ZERO new infections
ZERO AIDS-related deaths
ZERO discrimination

The WORLD AIDS DAY DETROIT Open Photo Shoot on THURSDAY is scheduled to begin at 2:00PM and end at 6:00PM. This photo shoot will also be the very first time the NOH8 Campaign has traveled to Michigan!

You do not need to make reservations to participate in the photo shoot; it's first come, first served! Facebook RSVP's just help us get an idea of the anticipated turn-out. When you arrive, you will receive a numbered model release to fill out, followed by receiving your NOH8 tattoo. We will call numbers throughout the day, and your corresponding release number will signal your time to line up and have your photo taken.

The costs of posing for an official NOH8 portrait break down as follows:

SOLO PORTRAITS .......... $40.00

COUPLE & GROUP PORTRAITS ........... $25.00 per person

The NOH8 Campaign accepts cash, most major credit cards, and checks made out to 'NOH8Campaign'. Fee covers services & processing for one retouched digital print only, made available through www.NOH8Campaign.com.

The lines moves quickly, so don't let the RSVP's intimidate you! We always do our best to make sure that everyone in line by 6:00PM has a chance to pose for their photo - and up to this point, we haven't ever had to turn anyone away! Anyone that would like to join the NOH8 Campaign is asked to wear a plain white shirt to match the look of the signature NOH8 photos.

Celebrity Photographer & NOH8 Co-Founder Adam Bouska will be working around the clock to photograph 5-10 frames for each person that comes through. The final selection he chooses will be retouched and made available to you in about 8 weeks through the website:

Once you arrive, the NOH8 Campaign will apply the NOH8 temporary tattoo to your face, and we will also supply you with the silver duct tape for the photo.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING? E-mail info@noh8campaign.com with your contact information and make sure to note which shoot you'd like to volunteer for!

Funds raised by the NOH8 Campaign will be used to continue promoting and raising awareness for marriage equality and anti-discrimination through NOH8’s interactive media campaign. This includes bringing the campaign to other cities around the country, as well as compiling the images for a large-scale media campaign. Under consideration is the expansion of our campaign to other media, including television and
radio broadcast, billboards, and magazines. Contributions are also used to cover the daily operations and maintenance necessary to run this rapidly growing campaign.

The NOH8 Campaign is an approved 501(c)(3), donations will be tax-deductible up to the amount allowable by law.

Modern Skate & Surf is holding a Snowboard Swap Sale at its Royal Oak, Mich location. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get cash or in-store credit for used snowboards and equipment. Join us at Modern Skate & Surf in Royal Oak on Nov. 11 - 13 for this great sale.

On the streets of Central Detroit, a sense of place — and possibility — isn’t always easy to come by.PPS knew that engaging the neighborhood in Placemaking would take more than just a workshop. So, with the support of the Kresge Foundation and working with the Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation (CDC), we decided to do a fun harvest festival that would demonstrate the neighborhood’s potential. It would also be a way to get more Placemaking ideas from people who would be unlikely to show up a community meeting.

And it worked. On October 29, PPS was thrilled to be part of a very successful harvest festival outside the wonderful neighborhood produce market Peaches & Greens, which is celebrating its third anniversary. Although flanked by vacant lots, Peaches & Greens proved to be the right spot for the festival — and the event showed how this could evolve into an even better place for the neighborhood to come together.

(Check out this great CBS News report about Peaches & Greens’ truck delivery service, which brings produce to the doorsteps of Detroiters who otherwise would have no access to fresh food.)

The rain held off and it turned out to be a great day, filled with games, horse-drawn hay rides, marshmallow roasting, and lots of Placemaking suggestions offered in PPS’s “Placemaking in Detroit” tent.

This is a neighborhood with a lot of basic needs. Many residents are out of work. Many don’t own cars, and the public transit system is utterly inadequate. Safety and security are a major concern — the city can’t even keep up with repairing broken streetlights. A lot of houses are abandoned and occupied by squatters.

The term “food desert” has become well known, but this part of Detroit might also be called a “place desert.” As the city’s population has shrunk, neighborhoods like Central Detroit have lost not just people and homes, but places to come together. Still, a lot of assets remain, including some beautiful housing stock and strong community organizations such as CDC. Importantly, the city has designated this as one of the communities where resources are going to be focused in the future.

Using a 1946 Spartan Travel Trailer, Ned’s TravelBurger serves up burgers and fries to metro Detroiters. Carl Patron and Scott Steigerwald bought the rig in 2010.

“This trailer is from Peru, Ind., and there is a fellow down there that renovates trailers and leases them out to people,” Patron says. “It’s a little different than an Airstream trailer in that it’s more aggressive looking and polishes up a bit shinier.”

To create more head space for the kitchen exhaust system, Patron raised the trailer by a foot. He added a foot-high tub onto the chassis, lifted the shell off of it and dropped the shell back down. He swapped in tandem axels to accommodate the weight of the kitchen equipment carried inside--a 36-inch griddle, a fryer that holds 45 pounds of oil, a sandwich cooler, storage for burgers, and big commercial fridges, sinks and freezers.

Stored in the fridge and freezer are organic, grass-fed meats from Fowlerville, Mich., fresh buns from Royal Oak’s Holiday Market and produce from local farmers markets. With these prime ingredients, Patron and Steigerwald create portable lunches for customers.

“The White Castle Slider and Lafayette Coney are Midwestern icons. After many travels over the years, our food tastes changed, but not our basic love for dogs and burgers,” Patron says. “Every aspect of our menu is designed with the memory of our foodie experiences. From late-night sliders to ahi-tuna picnics, this is the kind of food that brings back thoughts of travel.”

Whether via an Asian turkey burger with five spice and kimchi or a Baja burger with cilantro corn salsa, Ned’s trailer takes customer’s taste buds on a trip.